Mediterranean mountain landscapes are undergoing a widespread phenomenon of abandonment. This brings, as a consequence, the loss of traditional land use practices, such as transhumant pastoralism, as well as shrub and wood encroachment, with repercussions on the biodiversity associated with semi-open, human-managed landscapes. In this study, we focus on a mountain pasture from the Southern Apennines (Italy), where free-ranging transhumant grazing is still carried out, to quantify the effects of grazing presence and exclusion on arthropod diversity, and to qualitatively characterize the plant communities of grazed and ungrazed areas. Using field sampling, remote sensing, and semi-structured interviews, we assessed the validity of traditional cattle farming as a landscape management tool. Indeed, high diversity grasslands excluded from grazing were characterized by significantly less even and more dominated arthropod communities, as well as fewer plant species and families. Moreover, in areas that have been consistently grazed over the years, we found no forest encroachment from 1955 to 2019. However, rural communities are experiencing difficulties in keeping local traditions alive, even with current agri-environmental schemes. Thus, traditional livestock grazing can be a valuable management tool to maintain high biological and cultural diversity, even if stronger cooperation and attention to local needs is necessary.

中文翻译：

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作为生物和文化景观多样性管理策略的传统自由放养畜牧业：来自南亚平宁山脉的案例

地中海山地景观正在经历一种普遍的废弃现象。因此，这会导致传统土地利用做法的丧失，例如跨人类放牧以及灌木和木材的侵占，并对与半开放、人类管理的景观相关的生物多样性产生影响。在这项研究中，我们专注于来自南亚平宁山脉（意大利）的山区牧场，在那里仍然进行自由放牧的跨人类放牧，以量化放牧的存在和排除对节肢动物多样性的影响，并定性地描述了植物群落的特征放牧区和未放牧区。我们使用实地抽样、遥感和半结构化访谈，评估了传统养牛业作为景观管理工具的有效性。的确，被排除在放牧范围之外的高多样性草原的特点是节肢动物群落的均匀度明显降低，占主导地位的节肢动物群落以及植物物种和科较少。此外，在多年来一直放牧的地区，从 1955 年到 2019 年，我们没有发现森林被侵占。然而，即使有当前的农业环境计划，农村社区在保持当地传统方面也遇到了困难。因此，即使需要加强合作并关注当地需求，传统的放牧可以成为保持高度生物和文化多样性的宝贵管理工具。从 1955 年到 2019 年，我们没有发现森林被侵占。然而，即使有当前的农业环境计划，农村社区在保持当地传统方面也遇到了困难。因此，即使需要加强合作并关注当地需求，传统的放牧可以成为保持高度生物和文化多样性的宝贵管理工具。从 1955 年到 2019 年，我们没有发现森林被侵占。然而，即使有当前的农业环境计划，农村社区在保持当地传统方面也遇到了困难。因此，即使需要加强合作并关注当地需求，传统的放牧可以成为保持高度生物和文化多样性的宝贵管理工具。